No, there's been an open source implementation of OpenStep (the real name of Cocoa) for decades. Some of the platform stuff is Apple specific, but that is true of Linux and OpenBSD as well. You can handle it the same way you handle any other platform incompatibility: encapsulate the incompatibility into as small a piece as possible.

Believe it or not, you can actually compile Objective-C code for Android and run it. Of course, you will have to recompile it, but that's not an issue when you have the source code.

This is exactly right. The US government could close this loophole, "crack down" on corporate tax avoidance, without any global cooperation. All they need to do is pass the law, and Obama can sign it.

The OECD has no power to change anything here, so instead they did something they have power to accomplish: they wrote a report. Bravo.

Other problems:

1) The Swift compiler is buggy. A language with compiler bugs is painful to use.
2) Locked in to a single platform.
3) Apple has a habit of eliminating support for languages/tools on a whim.

I would be very careful before dedicating resources to Swift.

That's not legal. Under the GPL2 they must release all changes they make to any binary they release (and Apple did release their changes). You're going to have to re-think your hypothesis.

They were primarily worried about the patent clause in the GPL3.

It's also worth realizing that Space-X will get a lot of money out of this deal as well, even though they won't get the primary contract. It seems like a case of "choose the company with a long history, but don't remove the competition."

Furthermore, the way the contracts are designed, Space-X will get money from the government, but a smaller contract.

Pardon my ignorant question, but how is it a problem to have traction control? Wouldn't it be enough to glue traction strips to the feet or something?

Different people get thrills in different ways, I guess.

For me the problem is finding a big enough group of friends who are willing to invest in a game AND all will be around to play at the same time. It's enough of a logistical problem that I avoid even making the effort.

Yeah, I've been trying to figure out what the problem is with this. Why not have a map of the internet?

Sounds like the Magic Schoolbus.

Adding to that line of thought, when Spock's father says in disgust, "he's so....human," the emotion of disgust is strongly apparent there.

Add to that, if a god were ever discovered, or gods, science would handle that perfectly well.

Some scientists perhaps not. But science? No problem.

To people who grew up in that dialect, it sounds great. To me it makes me want to code switch to the style of speaking that I grew up in. I ain't jokin.

Sometimes lumberjacks cut down trees and it lands on themselves, so that is the primary danger.

Anyway, sounds like you did it, so good job.